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'Chimerica' review or 'A rubik cube close to completion'

'Chimerica',
Lucy Kirkwood

Almeida
Theatre, Tuesday 28th
May 2013

Written for The Ham & High

It
is so hard to get young writers to think outside the (black) box
these days. Thankfully, Lucy Kirkwood isn't interested in thinking
small. Her latest play, 'Chimerica', is a 3 hour epic that explores
the complex relationship between America and China. Forget modest
small-scale drama. 'Chimerica' is about the future of our planet.

Lyndsey
Turner's production – in association with Headlong - is a study in
controlled chaos with its swirling scene changes, scrawled
projections and pounding energy. Es Devlin's cuboid set is in
perpetual motion; a giant rubik cube tantalisingly close to
completion.

At
the centre of this theatrical brain-tease is one unforgettable photo;
the Tank Man image from Tienanmen Square, 1989, in which a lone
protester stands firm as an army tank roles forward. Kirkwood
imagines the journalist who took this photo and plots his quest,
years on, to track down the Tank Man. It is a frenetic adventure
which sees fictional journalist, Joe Schofield, join the high mile
club and stoop to new lows as he races tirelessly between New York
and Beijing.

Stephen
Campbell Moore intrigues as the work-obsessed Joe Schofield. His
character acquires new shades with every swivel of the stage;
charming but selfish, noble yet cowardly. His propensity to chuck
money at everything – especially the Chinese characters who will
not provide the answers he requires - casts an interesting light on
international relations.

Kirkwood's
quips fizz but they are also revealing. Reporter Schofield's savvy
girlfriend, Tessa (Claudie Blakley) offers this zinger early on: 'No
one likes to know they're unremarkable.' And Schofield's acerbic
boss, played with relish by Trevor Cooper, is a cantankerous delight:
'And I used to have a prostrate. Big deal.'

The
best lines are awarded to Schofield's contact in Beijing, the
disillusioned English teacher Zhang Lin. Benedict Wong is initially
inoffensive, even bland. But as Zhang's memories of Tienanmen Square
take hold, his shame and rage boil over. Wong's performance creeps up
on us and slaps us bang in the face. 'I will not sleep!', he cries.
After watching this bold and brilliant new play, neither will I.